Habakkuk 1

Where we look for comfort, there a cross: where we expect honey there we taste wormwood. From where is it that the earth is filled with violence, that the wicked oppresses the man which is more righteous than he? (Habakkuk 1:13). From where is it that so much fraudulency in deal…

His power makes him mighty, his holiness makes him glorious. God's holiness consists in his perfect loving of righteousness, and abhorrence of evil (Habakkuk 1:13): "Of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity." First, God is holy intrinsically.

(Psalm 111:9) Holy and reverend is his name. (Habakkuk 1:13) You are of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. God is essentially, originally and efficiently holy: all the holiness in men and angels is but a crystal stream that runs from this glorious ocean.

God will be in no man's debt. God makes use of the wicked sometimes to protect and shield his Church: he makes use of them to refine and purify his people (Habakkuk 1:12). "You have ordained them for correction."

All our gifts come from God, and to him must all our praises return. We are apt to burn incense to our own drag (Habakkuk 1:16), to attribute all we have to our own skill or second causes. (1.) Our own skill and industry.

And desire him to look into Christ's heart also, to see if your name is not written there with his own hand, and if Christ did not bear your name written upon his heart — as the high priest bore the names of all the tribes — when he hung upon the cross and when he ascended into…

And so it is with all those that are advanced to preferment in this world. Wherefore, seeing honor and dignity cometh not from themselves, or anything in them; therefore they must not ascribe it to their own wit, learning, strength, or friends; but wholly to the gift of God, as…

Such is the depravedness and corruption of man in his fallen state that, as one has said, one man has become a wolf, a tiger to another. They are as the prophet complains — Habakkuk 1:14 — 'as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things that have no ruler over them.' And a…

(Romans 2:8-9) Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that does evil; which one place, putting the four words together says, 1. That there is sorrow most certainly and inseparably on every soul that has sinned, and 2. That this sorrow is exceeding…

Mr. Towne answers with other Antinomians: The just and wise God who accepts every thing by due weight and measure as it is found to be, he does not, no, cannot account that which is but inchoate and partial for full and complete obedience; nor can it stand with justice to accept…

The wicked persecutors of the Church are reprooued for sacrificing to their nets, and burning incense to their yarne. Hab 1:16. Further, we must consider we have not onely received them; but that we have so received them, as that they are not our own, with which we may doe what…

For unbelievers are so full of pride, that attributing the victories which they get to their own forces, they make no bones to exalt themselves against God and all divine power. They make fair shows indeed, as if they stood in some awe of their gods; that is to say, of the idols…

You see then, that although the wicked seem at the first to be far from the contempt of God's majesty, yet in the end they manifest that they attribute all to themselves, and utterly exclude him. In words I grant they will give the praise of their victories to their gods, but im…

These words, The God of Israel, must be well observed, because the superstitious are wont to attribute their victories to their idols. And in that sense Habakkuk says, that everyone sacrificed to his god (Habakkuk 1:16). They run riot then in their talk, and forge such a divinit…

(1) That the Pollution of Sin is that Property of it whereby it is directly opposed to the Holiness of God, and which God expresses his Holiness to be contrary to. Hence he is said to be of purer eyes than to behold iniquity or to look on evil, Hab. 1. 13. It is a thing vile and…

Hence afflictions are called, gall and wormwood, bitter things. And the Chaldeans whom God made so great a scourge to his own people, are called a bitter nation (Habakkuk 1:6). We have opened these words which concern the curse upon Job's day.

For why do we affirm, that there is a God, if we make no addresses to him? if we have recourse only to our own power or policy to accomplish our designs; and when they succeed, ascribe the success of them only to our own wisdom and conduct, we make these our idols, and give them…

Men do not consider, That their works are in the hand of God, Ecclesiastes 9:1. And even those that have the most immediate dependence upon Providence, as Merchants and Sea-men, yet are very prone to undertake designes in the confidence of their own wisdom and industry; not look…

Thus cruel, merciless, and oppressive are wicked Men, whose tender mercies are cruelty, Proverbs 22:10. We see the like cruelty in our Extortioners, and over-reaching Sharks ashore, who grind the faces of the Poor, and regard not the Cries of the Fatherless and Widows, but fill…

Purity: as washed doves' eyes for purity — this may be taken either subjectively, for the excellency and unmixed cleanness and purity of his sight and knowledge in himself, or objectively, for his delighting to behold purity in others. He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity…

It may be learned from his constant way in governing the world; notwithstanding all provocations; yet he does good to men, causing his sun to shine upon them, sending them rain and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness. From this it was easy for them to c…

This is the great discovery of the gospel. For whereas the Father as the fountain of the Deity is not known any other way but as full of wrath, anger, and indignation against sin — nor can the sons of men have any other thoughts of him, Romans 1:18, Isaiah 33:15-16, Habakkuk 1:1…

He may have a belly full, and fare at a better rate than others do. Habakkuk 1:16: Their portion is made fat, and their meat plenteous. When men have troubled themselves and the world to make themselves great, it is but for a little belly cheer, which may be wanted as well as en…

(Jeremiah 12:1) "Righteous are you, O Lord, when I plead with you: yet let me talk with you of your judgments: why does the way of the wicked prosper? why are all they happy that [illegible] treacherously?" (Habakkuk 1:12-13) "Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my holy…

He is holy, without spot or blemish, or any such thing, without any wrinkle, or any thing like it; as they also that are in Christ shall one day be (Ephesians 5:27). God is so holy, that he cannot sin himself, nor be the cause or author of sin in another; he does not command sin…

The Lord looks at it as a great sin thus feebly to oppose sin, and therefore verse 29 he tells him, that he honored his sons above God, and therefore he professes, far be it from me to maintain your house and comfort, for he that honors me I will honor, and he that despises me s…

A sinner's works are called dead works (Hebrews 6:1), and those works which are dead cannot please God; a dead wife cannot please her husband. 2. Heart-purity is necessary in respect of God: God is holy; purity is the chief robe with which God himself is clothed (Habakkuk 1:13).…

It is a kingdom wherein dwells righteousness (2 Peter 3:13). In this lower region of the world, there is little righteousness, they set up wickedness by a law (Psalm 94:20), and the wicked devours his neighbor, which is more righteous than he (Habakkuk 1:13). Homo homini lupus.

I dreamed, and behold, I saw a man clothed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back (Isaiah 64:6; Luke 14:33; Psalm 38:4). I looked and saw him open the book, and read in it; and as he read, he…